7 Signs You're Dealing With Burnout

Have you been feeling lately like it's hard to keep up with yourself? For high achievers, burnout is one of the speed bumps in life that you should be wary of. Burnout is a term coined by psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s, and is described as a severe stress condition that leads to severe physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. To help better understand this condition, in this video we'll be looking at seven signs you're dealing with burnout.

Number one, you are emotionally exhausted.

Have you ever felt that you're at your limit, that it's extremely hard to keep on working even in small amounts? According to Scott and Ganz, in 2020, burnout can lead to lethargic feelings, an inability to cope with stress, and an overall feeling that you are emotionally drained. When you're emotionally exhausted, you may feel powerless and have no control over what happens in your life. You may feel that you're stuck in a situation and have little energy to keep going, or get out of it.

Number two, you are isolated from others.

Have you noticed that you're turning down invitations to events that you'd normally be excited about, or perhaps you're not returning messages as quickly as you normally would. This can be a sign of burnout. Dr. Carter in 2013 states that in the early stages of burnout, you might isolate yourself more and find social interactions are more difficult. You might find that people get on your nerves more than usual, and that you find ways to avoid interacting with others at work or school.

Number three, you have escape fantasies.

When you're at work or school, do you find yourself wishing that you were somewhere else, preferably away from your job or schoolwork? Dealing with high amounts of stress for an extended period of time can make it hard to concentrate on the task at hand. It can be easier and more fun to think about going on vacation, or even going back to bed. At worst, some people dealing with burnout may desire drugs or alcohol to escape their negative feelings, which can lead to abuse issues. In any case, doing anything else can seem more exciting than working.

Number four, your performance is suffering.

Dealing with burnout can also affect the quality of your work. Do you find that you're letting mistakes slip through the cracks more so than normal? Is it hard to care if something is perfect or not? Is it hard just to start something, let alone finish it? Having stresses in your life like taking care of an ill family member or working long hours, can make it hard to put a lot of effort into your work. When you have little time for self-care or to focus on other things, it can make it harder over time to keep up with your usual performance. Similar to how athletes need to rest after practice, you need to rest as well, to recuperate.

Number five, you don't feel well.

Have you ever wondered why you still feel tired despite sleeping well or having a day off? Do you experience stomach problems or other types of unexplained pain? Have you noticed that you seem to get sick more often than before? Dealing with high amounts of stress can weaken your immune system, so it's easier to get sick. Additionally, stress can affect other aspects of your physical health, causing you to feel pain and tiredness that can't be explained by anything else. Fraga & Leg, in 2019, stated that burnout can deplete your energy and in turn weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to infection. Apart from that, burnout can increase feelings of depression and anxiety, along with other mental health issues. As burnout progresses, small stressors may become much bigger problems and affect your ability to perform.

Number six, you're more pessimistic.

Burnout may lead to a pessimistic attitude in which you may adopt a glass half-empty mindset. Are you finding yourself feeling more down on the world? Do you find it harder and harder to stay positive? One may be so engrossed with negative thinking that at its later stages, the pessimism may advance beyond how you feel about yourself, causing you to mistrust people that are close to you. You may feel that you can't count on anyone, even yourself.

And number seven, you're more irritable.

Are you finding yourself more on edge with other people? Do others seem to constantly get on your nerves? Dr. Carter, in 2013, states that irritability often originates from feeling worthless, unproductive, and a growing perception that you're not able to do things as productively or effectively as you once did. At first, your personal and professional relationships may be effected, however, in its later stages it can severely interfere with the people in your life.

Stress may be inevitable but burnout is preventable.

Making lifestyle choices to help manage stress, like exercising, eating a balanced diet, working on your self-care routine, et cetera, can go a long way in balancing your lifestyle. If you find that you are struggling beyond this, it's important to check in with a mental health professional or a health care provider for advice.

Let us know your thoughts on the topic.

What are some other signs of burnout that you've noticed? How do you combat these feelings? Let us know down below.